A semiconductor power conversion apparatus has been fabricated in a small size with high efficiency and high performance. Therefore, it is important to reduce loss and increase a breakdown voltage of a semiconductor rectifier (a diode) used in the semiconductor power conversion apparatus.
Furthermore, a wide bandgap semiconductor is expected, in which as the next generation power semiconductor device material, for example, silicon carbide (hereinafter, also referred to as SiC) is used as a representative material. The wide bandgap semiconductor has a wide bandgap with respect to those employing silicon (hereinafter, also referred to as Si), and has high breakdown field strength and high thermal conductivity as compared with those employing Si. When utilizing these characteristics, a low-loss power semiconductor device capable of operating at a high temperature may be realized.
In this regard, due to the application of a diode using SiC, it is further expected that a semiconductor power conversion apparatus can be fabricated in a small size with high efficiency and high performance. Specifically, in the range of a high breakdown voltage exceeding 2 kV, it is expected to reduce the loss and increase the breakdown voltage of a PiN diode including a pn junction.